Hybrid sensor arrangement

Abstract

A position-sensor and/or speed-sensor arrangement comprising a sensor with at least a first sensitive main plane and an encoder with at least one encoder track face. The sensor senses a magnetic field generated and/or modulated by the encoder, and the sensor has at least a first magnetic field sensor element and a second magnetic field sensor element. The first magnetic field sensor element has at least a first main sensing direction and the second magnetic field sensor element has an at least second main sensing direction different from the first main sensing direction. The first magnetic field sensor element and the second magnetic field sensor element are arranged such that at least an element output signal of the first magnetic field sensor element has a phase shift absolute value between 75° and 105° with respect to at least one element output signal of the second magnetic field sensor element.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A position- and/or speed-sensor apparatus comprising a sensor with at least a first sensitive main plane and an encoder with at least one encoder track face, wherein the sensor can sense a magnetic field which is generated and/or modulated by the encoder, and wherein the sensor has at least a first magnetic field sensor element and a second magnetic field sensor element, wherein the first magnetic field sensor element has at least a first main sensing direction and the second magnetic field sensor element has an at least second main sensing direction which is different from the first main sensing direction,
 wherein the first magnetic field sensor element and the second magnetic field sensor element are arranged in such a way that at least an element output signal of the first magnetic field sensor element has a phase shift absolute value between 75° and 105° with respect to at least one element output signal of the second magnetic field sensor element.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein this phase shift absolute value is 90°. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor is oriented, with respect to its first sensitive main plane, essentially parallel to the encoder track face of the encoder. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first magnetic field sensor element and the second magnetic field sensor element each have one or more sensitive structures which are each arranged essentially in a structural plane, wherein the first and second magnetic field sensor elements are arranged, with respect to their particular structural plane, essentially parallel to one another or in a common plane. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first main sensing direction is embodied rotated 90° with respect to the second main sensing direction. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first magnetic field sensor element with the first main sensing direction comprises a magnetoresistive sensor element, and the second magnetic field sensor element with the second main sensing direction comprises a Hall element. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein at least the first magnetic field sensor element and the second magnetic field sensor element are arranged in such a way that they jointly sense the magnetic field with respect to the first sensitive main plane of the sensor at a defined common sensing point. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein at least one magnetic field sensor element is arranged with the first main sensing direction together in relation to at least one magnetic field sensor element with the second main sensing direction concentrically with respect to the sensitive main plane and the defined sensing point. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor has a signal processing circuit configured to generate, at least from the element output signals of the first magnetic field sensor element and of the second magnetic field sensor element, a digital sensor output signal (Sout) which contains at least one of the following information items:
 a relative position and/or absolute position between the encoder and sensor,   a relative speed between the encoder and sensor,   a relative direction of movement between the encoder and sensor,   a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field which is sensed by the sensor,   a distance between the encoder and the sensor, and/or   at least an information item relating to the sensor output signal.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises a chip having at least a first magnetic field sensor element and a second magnetic field sensor element. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the chip further comprises a signal processing circuit (ASIC). 
     
     
         26 . A method for measuring positions and/or speeds with a sensor apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein, by means of a sensor which has at least a first sensitive main plane and at least a first magnetic field sensor element and a second magnetic field sensor element, a magnetic field which is generated and/or modulated by means of an encoder is sensed, wherein the first magnetic field sensor element has at least a first main sensing direction and the second magnetic field sensor element has at least a second main sensing direction which is different from the first main sensing direction,
 wherein at least one element output signal of the first magnetic field sensor element and at least one element output signal of the second magnetic field sensor element are generated in the course of the sensing of the magnetic field wherein these two element output signals have a phase shift absolute value between 75° and 105° in relation to one another. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the following information items is acquired directly or indirectly from the element output signals in a signal processing circuit:
 a relative position and/or absolute position between the encoder and sensor,   a relative speed between the encoder and sensor,   a relative direction of movement between the encoder and sensor,   a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field which is sensed by the sensor,   a distance between the encoder and the sensor, and/or   at least one information item relating to the plausibility of the sensor output signal.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first magnetic field sensor element comprises a magnetoresistive sensor element, and the second magnetic field sensor element comprises a Hall element, and the two element output signals have in particular a phase shift absolute value of 90° in relation to one another. 
     
     
         29 . The use of the sensor apparatus of  claim 15  in motor vehicles. 
     
     
         30 . The use of the sensor apparatus of  claim 15  as a rotational speed sensor apparatus.